Assembly for treatment providing non-invasive controlled positioning and movement of a patient's jaw

Abstract

An oral treatment assembly providing a plurality of medical treatments of a patient that are non-invasive and in particular, provides new methods for treating jaw related medical conditions of a patient through predetermined positioning and controlled or guided movement of a patient's mandible and therefore their mandibular condyles during use, wherein the assembly includes an upper and lower assembly each defining transition portions having a reverse cut angle that extends downward from the posterior forward to the anterior, and where each are configured to selectively engage to restrict the retrusion of the mandible relative to the maxilla and to position the mandible relative to the maxilla downward and in some embodiment slightly forward in a caregiver defined treatment position and having a caregiver defined treatment movement area thereabout. Since the reversed cut angle contains two vectors it also discourages involuntary dropping of the mandible relative to the maxilla.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An oral treatment assembly providing jaw control during use, comprising:
 an upper assembly comprising:
 an upper posterior portion having an upper posterior occlusal surface, and 
 an upper anterior portion having an upper anterior occlusal surface 
 said upper posterior portion defining an upper posterior part and a lower posterior part; said lower posterior part defining an upper block that extends downward from an axial plane of a bite surface of a user's upper teeth such that the upper posterior occlusal surface is below the upper anterior occlusal surface; 
 an anterior facing end of said upper block extending from the upper anterior occlusal surface to the upper posterior occlusal surface; 
 wherein, said anterior facing end defines an upper transition portion having a sloped upper transition surface with an upper reverse angle such that a lower anterior edge of the sloped upper transition surface is forward of an upper posterior edge of the sloped transition surface; the upper anterior portion extending from the upper posterior part of the upper posterior portion; 
 
 a lower assembly comprising:
 a lower posterior portion having a lower posterior occlusal surface; 
 a lower anterior portion having a lower anterior occlusal surface, 
 a lower block that extends upward from the lower anterior occlusal surface, said lower block being positioned forward of said upper block when said upper and lower assemblies are positioned in a user's mount, 
 a posterior face of said lower block defining a lower transition portion having a sloped lower transition surface having a lower reverse angle such that a lower anterior edge of the sloped lower transition surface is forward of an upper posterior edge of the sloped lower transition surface; wherein the lower posterior portion extends from a lower end of said lower transition surface and wherein the lower posterior portion is sized and shaped such that it does not extend above the lower block; 
 
 wherein the lower transition portion is configured to selectively couple to the upper transition portion and wherein the lower sloped transition surface and the upper sloped transition surface are configured to selectively engage when the user of the oral treatment assembly extends a mandible jaw forward by a predetermined distance at which point the lower assembly engages the upper assembly at a predetermined relationship, and wherein when the upper and lower assemblies are engaged, the upper block registers with the lower posterior portion of the lower assembly and the lower block of the lower assembly registers with the upper anterior portion of the upper assembly. 
 
     
     
       2. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein
 the upper assembly includes a right cavity for receiving a plurality of upper teeth on a right side of a user's maxilla and a left cavity for receiving a plurality of teeth on a left side of the user's maxilla, with the upper posterior occlusal surface positioned about the crown the received plurality of the received upper teeth, and 
 the lower assembly includes a right cavity for receiving a plurality of lower teeth on a right side of the mandibular and a left cavity for receiving a plurality of teeth on a left side of the mandibular, with the lower posterior occlusal surface positioned about the received lower teeth. 
 
     
     
       3. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 2  wherein the upper assembly includes a right upper transition portion and a left upper transition portion and the lower assembly includes a right lower transition portion and a left lower transition portion, and the right upper and lower transition portions form a right transition portion and the left upper and lower transition portions form a left transition portion. 
     
     
       4. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 3  wherein the right upper and lower transition portions have a right reverse angle and the left upper and lower transition portions have a left reverse angle, and wherein the right reverse angle is different than the left reverse angle. 
     
     
       5. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 3  wherein the right upper and lower transition portions have a right reverse angle and the left upper and lower transition portions have a left reverse angle, and wherein the right reverse angle is the same as the left reverse angle. 
     
     
       6. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 2  wherein the upper assembly is a tray defining the right and left cavities for receiving the plurality of maxillary teeth on each side and the lower assembly defines a lower tray defining the right and left cavities for receiving the plurality of mandibular teeth on each side. 
     
     
       7. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 2  wherein the upper assembly and the lower assembly are each trays configured to have a u-shaped arch for receiving the plurality of teeth and forming the downward extended upper block of the upper assembly and the upward extending lower block of the lower assembly and the upper and lower transition portions. 
     
     
       8. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 7  wherein the upper and lower trays are formed from an acrylic by molding. 
     
     
       9. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the downward extended upper block registers with the lower posterior portion of the lower assembly and the lower block registers with the upper anterior portion of the upper assembly forming a new occlusal surface by the contacting there between. 
     
     
       10. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper sloped transition surface and the lower sloped transition surface are each sloped from their respective upper and lower edges at an angle from an occlusal plane elected from a group of angles consisting of a) about 60 degrees, b) between about 22 degrees to about 90 degrees; c) less than 90 degrees; and d) between about 30 degrees and 89 degrees. 
     
     
       11. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 10  wherein the upper and lower transition portions are positioned relative to the interproximal area selected from the group consisting of between the cuspid and the first bicuspids, between the first and second bicuspids, proximal to the distal of the maxillary cuspid, between the molar and the first pre-molar, and between the first and second pre-molars. 
     
     
       12. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein an upper end of the upper block is shaped downward from a lingual side to a buccal side, and the upper block includes an interior surface shaped to provide lateral disclaimer and configured for engaging with the shaped upper end of the upper extending block for providing lateral guidance between the upper assembly and the lower assembly during treatment. 
     
     
       13. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a protrusive discluder (PD) for providing protrusive disclusion, with the protrusive discluder having a structure that is placed on or about a cuspid, a lateral incisor, or a central incisor and is formed on a top end of the lower block and at an inner contact surface of the upper assembly, or can be an upward extension of the lower transition portion that extends apical or toward a root or a hard plate as compared to a natural occlusal plane of a maxilla. 
     
     
       14. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper and lower transition portions are positioned proximate to the cuspids. 
     
     
       15. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper and lower transition portions are positioned relative to the cuspids and the first cuspids. 
     
     
       16. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the lower block having an upper end defining an lower anterior surface have a lower anterior surface angle, and
 wherein the upper assembly has an anterior contact control surface formed on an inside surface of the upper anterior portion and configured for contacting with the upper anterior surface of the lower block for providing anterior guidance as a function of the lower anterior surface angle. 
 
     
     
       17. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the sloped upper and lower transition surfaces of the upper transition portion and the lower transition portion are each further angled outward from a buccal side of the upper and lower transition portions to a lingual side at angles from respective midlines of each of the upper and lower assemblies to define outward angles, wherein the outward angles are defined by the respective midline and a respective perpendicular to each midline. 
     
     
       18. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 17  wherein the outward angle of the upper transition portion and the lower transition portion are each between about 30 degrees from each respective midline to about 90 degrees from the respective midlines of each of the upper and lower assemblies. 
     
     
       19. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 17  wherein the upper transition portion and the lower transition portion each have an outward angle of about 30 degrees from each respective midlines of each of the upper and lower assemblies. 
     
     
       20. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the sloped upper and lower transition surfaces of the upper transition portion and the lower transition portion are each further outwardly angled from the buccal side of each transition portion to the lingual side and side edges of the buccal sides of the upper and lower transition portions are set back towards the posterior relative to the lingual side edges. 
     
     
       21. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the sloped upper and lower transition surfaces of the upper transition portion and the lower transition portion are each further outwardly angled from the buccal side of the transition portion to the lingual side and side edges of the buccal sides of the upper and lower transition portions are set forward towards the anterior relative to the side edges of the lingual sides. 
     
     
       22. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 17  wherein the upper transition portion and the lower transition portion are each perpendicular to a midline from the buccal side edges of the transition portion to side edges of the lingual sides. 
     
     
       23. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the sloped upper and lower transition surfaces of the upper transition portion and the lower transition portion are each further outwardly angled from the buccal side of the transition portion to the lingual side at an angle that is less than 90 degrees from the midline, wherein side edges of the buccal sides of the transition portions and are set forward towards the anterior relative to the side edges of the lingual sides of the transition portions. 
     
     
       24. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the downward extended block of the upper assembly, the upward extending block of the lower assembly, the location of the upper and lower transition portions and the angles of the upper and lower transition portions are configured for the patient for control of one or more of the following:
 a. condylar translation; 
 b. condylar rotation 
 c. condylar side shift; 
 d. Posselt's lateral and/or opening movements; 
 e. retrusion prevention; 
 f. lateral guidance, including disclusion angle; 
 g. anterior guidance, including disclusion angle; 
 h. anterior posterior condylar position; and 
 i. condylar decompression, vertical dimension of occlusion. 
 
     
     
       25. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper anterior portion of the upper assembly is formed to substantially conform with and enclose anterior upper teeth substantially along an axial plane of the anterior upper teeth and the upper posterior portion forming the downward extended block is formed to extend downward from an axial plane of the posterior maxilla teeth; and wherein the lower anterior portion of the lower assembly is formed to extend upward from an axial plane of the enclosed anterior lower teeth and the lower posterior portion of the lower assembly is formed to enclose the anterior lower teeth substantially along an axial plane of the mandibular teeth. 
     
     
       26. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the downward extended upper block of the upper assembly is defined by right and left upper assembly blocks that define (1) right and left upper transition portions having right and left upper reverse angles on anterior portions of the right and left upper assembly blocks and 2) posterior occlusal surfaces that extend from the right and left upper transition portions to a posterior end of the upper assembly, and
 wherein the lower block of the lower assembly is defined by right and left lower assembly blocks that define right and left lower transition portions and have right and left lower reverse angles on anterior portions of the right and left lower assembly blocks. 
 
     
     
       27. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 26  wherein each of the upper assembly and lower assembly blocks further define a lateral movement angle (LMA) that is defined by a centerline of a maxilla within a mouth cavity of the user, the lateral movement angle (LMA) being less than or equal to about 90 degrees whereby no lateral guidance or control is provided except for nontraditional Posselt's movement, or being less than 90 degrees and wherein lateral guidance or control of movement between the lower assembly and the upper assembly is provided. 
     
     
       28. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper block is selectively attached to the upper assembly and the lower block is selectively attached to the lower assembly each by a selective attachment feature. 
     
     
       29. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the upper sloped transition surface and the lower sloped transition surface includes a surface texture that, when the upper transition portion and the lower transition portion are in contact with each other, an increased friction between the upper and lower sloped transition surfaces is provided. 
     
     
       30. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein a downward extended distal end of the upper transition portion and an upward extended distal end of the lower transition portion each include at least a lip or an end retention or mating feature or catch for providing an increased coupling when the upper and lower assemblies are engaged or physically coupled. 
     
     
       31. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper and lower assemblies and the upper and lower transition portions are configured and positioned for one or more of the following:
 a. relaxing musculature; 
 b. controlling of retrusive forces; 
 c. limiting retrusive forces and thereby limiting the force applied to the temporomandibular condyle and joint; 
 d. enabling the forward movement or advancement of the mandibular relative to the maxilla by the user during use; 
 e. controlling condylar movement as it relates to Posselt's movements; 
 f. engaging lateral guidance in the cuspid and first bicuspid to reduce muscular contraction during movement; 
 g. engaging anterior guidance to reduce muscular contraction during movement; and 
 h. lengthening over closed musculature relative to vertical dimension. 
 
     
     
       32. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper and lower transition portions can be configured to be laterally angled to be tangential to the arch of the teeth proximate to the upper and lower transition portions as a function of an amount of predetermined required condylar control. 
     
     
       33. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 27  wherein the lateral movement angle (LMA) is angled outward from a buccal side of each transition portion to a lingual side to define lateral movement angles from a midline of each of the upper and lower assemblies with the lateral movement angle (LMA) of the upper and lower transition portions being less than 90 degrees to about 30 degrees. 
     
     
       34. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper block extends from a posterior end of the upper assembly forward in the anterior direction to an anterior end of the upper block defining the upper transition portion, the upper transition portion being positioned relative to an interproximal area of the maxilla selected from the group consisting of between the cuspid and the first bicuspids, between the first and second bicuspids, proximal to the distal of the maxillary cuspid, between the molar and the first pre-molar, and between the first and second pre-molars. 
     
     
       35. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper and lower assemblies have right and left transition portions, wherein the only one of the right and left transition portions is configured with a lateral movement angle (LMA) that is less than an angle between its respective midline and the perpendicular thereof, with the other of the right and left transition portions defines an angle that is equal to or greater than the angle between its respective midline and a perpendicular thereof. 
     
     
       36. The oral treatment assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper block further includes an inward intrusion structure that extends lingually as a lingual intrusion with an inward lingual surface that extends the upward sloped surface of the upper transition portion lingually for engaging with the lower sloped surface of the lower transition portion and configured to provide decreased space for a tongue of a user during use of the oral treatment assembly. 
     
     
       37. An oral treatment assembly providing jaw control during use, comprising:
 an upper assembly comprising:
 an upper posterior portion having an upper posterior occlusal surface, 
 an upper anterior portion having an upper anterior occlusal surface; 
 the upper posterior portion defining an upper posterior part and a lower posterior part; said lower posterior part defining an upper block that extends downward from an axial plane of a bite surface of a user's upper teeth such that the upper posterior occlusal surface is below the upper anterior occlusal surface; 
 the upper posterior portion being coupled by an upper part of said upper posterior portion to said upper anterior portion, 
 block defining an upper transition portion on an anterior facing end having an upper sloped surface with an upper reverse angle such that a lower anterior edge of the upper transition portion is forward of an upper posterior edge of the upper transition portion; 
 
 a lower assembly comprising:
 a lower posterior portion and a lower anterior portion, 
 a lower block that extends upward in a direction of the incisors and that extends upward from an anterior mandibular bite surface of the anterior portion and wherein said posterior portion does not extend upward above the lower block, 
 
 the lower block being coupled to the lower posterior portion by a lower transition portion coupling the lower block to the lower posterior portion by a lower sloped surface having a lower reverse angle whereby the lower block extends in a posterior direction and over a portion of a non-extended posterior portion, 
 the lower transition portion being configured to selectively couple to the upper transition portion and wherein the lower sloped surface of the lower transition portion and the upper sloped surface of the upper transition portion are configured to selectively engage when the user of the upper and lower assemblies extends a mandible jaw forward by a predetermined distance at which point the upper sloped surface and the lower sloped surface selectively engage; the lower assembly is at a predetermined relationship relative to the upper assembly, wherein when selectively positioned for mating, the upper block registers with the posterior portion of the lower assembly and the lower block registers with the anterior portion of the upper assembly; 
 wherein the upper transition portion and the lower transition portion are each further angled outward from a buccal side of each transition portion to a lingual side at lateral movement angles from a midline of each of the upper and lower assemblies to form a lateral movement angle (LMA) of the upper and lower transition portions, wherein the outward lateral movement angle (LMA) is less than an angle between each respective midline and a perpendicular thereof and is configured for controlling the lateral movement of the upper assembly relative to the lower assembly when the upper transition portion is engaged with the lower transition portion.